Search for Truth
by Silver Kiramoto
Summary: Seperated for five years, the young friends find each other as well as some problems Men who aim to kill the Uzumaki's, and a certain relationship... SasuNaru Yoai
1. Reunion

Search For Truth

Silver: Hey there, everyone! Sorry that the other fanfictions have been…Uh…Slow.

Gaara: Idiot.

Silver: So mean…Anyway…Hinata! Take it away!

Hinata: _All Naruto characters do NOT belong to Silver Kiramoto in any way outside of this fanfiction. All events portrayed here are completely fictional and in no way associated with real/published events. Thank you and enjoy._

Mustang/Shoots Silver/

Silver: X.x

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Sasuke stared vaguely at the cloud filled sky, gray and dull during the few moments before the first bell of school. Today was the day _he_ had left five years before. Naruto Uzumaki. He remembered when they had met…

The little three-year-old walked in, bright blue eyes wandering without much emotion, thumb stuck in his mouth. Strange whisker marks were on his cheeks, drawing the attention of the Uchiha.

"_He says his name is Naruto Uzumaki, but there's nothing on file for that name," an attendant for the orphanage explained to someone, Sasuke didn't know who it was. "Nothing except that his legal guardian is Itachi Uchiha."_

"_Itachi?! Sasuke's brother?" The other person exclaimed. "But no one has contacted him in years!" Sasuke stared at the others, but he couldn't remember his brother. He had left when Sasuke was still a baby_

_No longer interested, the raven-haired youth looked again at the little blonde, Naruto, who was determined to keep his thumb in place. "Who are you?" Sasuke had asked, black eyes expressionless. The blonde paused, as if trying to remember. He was wondering if he should remove the thumb that gave him comfort._

"_Namumo," he said, thumb still in place, with a smile and a little bit of spit sliding down his chin. Sasuke's eyes furrowed_

"_Dobe."_

Tears stung at his eyes, and he wiped them away in surprise. The bell rang, then, and he walked to homeroom with Iruka-sensei. He sat in his usual spot, barely paying attention to the room around him. He only ever gave mind to two people; his best friends Gaara Subakuno and Hinata Hyuuga. As he rummaged about in his backpack, Iruka-sensei began to take roll. Sasuke only heard a few of the names, of which were:

"Lee Rock?"

"Present!"

"Hyuuga Hinata?"

"Here, Sensei."

"Hyuuga Neji?"

"Present…"

"Subakuno Gaara?"

"….Yea…"

"Uchiha Sasuke?"

"Here."

"Uzumaki Naruto?"

Sasuke looked up at the sound of that familiar name, and wasn't sure if he had heard right. He scanned the room, and quickly spotted the spiky-haired blonde with the whisker marks on his face. The boy looked bored and uninterested, his vest hung over his shoulder as he said, "You were talking to me five seconds ago. Do you have to call me, Sensei?"

As Iruka-sensei began to lecture him, Naruto had allowed his eyes to wander and, eventually, land on the raven-hair who watched him. There was a moment of surprise that Sasuke saw in which Naruto had realized who he was. Then a look of disappointment-or was it sadness?-before he looked away.

/Why did he turn?/ Sasuke wondered when he noticed Hinata was staring at him intently. "What?" He asked, eyebrow raise din question.

Hinata laughed, shrugging. "Just sort of wondering what you were thinking," she replied. "Since your _boyfriend_ is back and all." Sasuke's only reaction was to playfully glare at his friend.

"I think I liked you better when you were shy and talked _quietly_," he growled back. Then his face grew solemn and slightly worried. "But I think something's wrong with him. He doesn't look at me."

Hinata and Gaara were the only two people he trusted enough to tell that he and Naruto had been in the same orphanage together until they were about thirteen. Sasuke's parents had been mysteriously murdered, and Naruto had no birth records to begin with. After the blonde had left to search for his secret life, a man named Orochimaru and his son, Kabuto, had adopted Sasuke, who was heir to a large fortune, business, and estate.

"This might be the lack of sleep talking," Gaara muttered, eyes half-closed. "But I think you need to find what's up. I mean, you two haven't seen each other in, what, five years? Damn it, and you've been friends since you were just out of diapers."

Sasuke sighed, shrugging. He had a feeling Naruto would obviously try to avoid him today; that was just his personality. He turned as he heard the girl, Sakura, begin speaking to Naruto.

"Oh no!" She cried. "Naruto, I left my pencil at home and I _really _need to finish this assignment. Could you ask Iruka-sensei for one for me? I've asked too many times for him to be patient with me anymore."

Naruto was frozen for a moment, for he noticed there was no way for him to slip past Sasuke, since the raven-hair sat in the front of the class. Sighing, he stood and walked towards sensei's desk, so far avoiding contact with the boy who stared at him so intently. But as he made his way back, Sasuke took hold of his wrist, and forced the blonde to face him.

Silence engulfed those around them, who stared in curiosity at their class rep, Sasuke, and the new, temperamental blonde whose face was suddenly filled with surprise and nervousness.

Finally, Sasuke broke the silence. "Dobe," he said. And that was all. Smiling, though it seemed to be with some regret, Naruto laughed.

"Teme," he replied, and walked back to Sakura.

For most of the day until lunch, that was all the contact Sasuke could seem to make with Naruto. They had two other classes during this time; math and history. Both of which, Naruto was titled a complete and total _dumbass._ Still, the blonde ignored his past friend as if something was troubling him.

When the lunch bell rang, Sasuke followed Naruto outside, where the blonde was about to run off towards a café for the lunch period. However, Sasuke pulled the boy into the shadows, where he trapped him against the wall by placing his arms on both sides of him.

"Okay, Naruto," Sasuke growled with irritation. "You've been avoiding me all day. What the crap is going on?! I haven't seen your happy self in five freaking years, and then you come off as if you don't know me?"

"It's hard to explain, Sasuke," Naruto muttered, looking away.

"How the hell is it hard to explain?" Sasuke was almost screaming at the blonde, his rage that had built up taking him over. "How hard is it to say, "Sasuke, how's it going?" or, "Sasuke, I don't want to talk about things right now?" I mean, seriously! You're such a freaking idiot sometimes!"

"You don't even know what the hell you're talking about!" Naruto snapped back, annoyed himself. "Things are just a little hard to explain right now, at this moment. Meet me after school, and things will be easier, okay?" There was a moment of silence, where the only sound was cars driving past and students gossiping.

"Promise you wont run?" Sasuke asked, eyebrows furrowed. Naruto nodded. "Cause you know I'll hunt your ass down, don't you? I'm almost eighteen, I'll have the money to sick a freaking detective squad on you."

"Chill, Sasuke," Naruto said, laughing with happiness once again. "I wont run off. I have something too important I need to show you." At that moment Sasuke planted a small kiss on the blonde, who turned beet red at the action. When he pulled away, Naruto muttered, "Please don't start that up again now, Sasuke."

Sasuke shrugged and released his captive, allowing the boy to get himself some lunch before the bell rang. "Meet me at the flag pole, okay, dobe?" Naruto only waved him off as he rushed towards the café. The Uchiha shook his head, chuckling. "Same old Naruto. Food first, talk later."

Once the sixth period bell rang, Sasuke was out of the door and texting Hinata and Orochimaru on his cell phone. To Hinata he explained that he had to cut out on their study session today; midterms were coming up, after all. To Orochimaru, he explained he was staying at a friend's house that night; he had decided he would either spend the night checking out Naruto's place or, if he was somehow kicked out, he would head over to Gaara's.

Naruto stood outside, leaning casually against the flagpole. Sasuke was interested in how the school's uniform seemed to clash greatly with the boy's spiky blonde hair, but went perfectly with his bright blue eyes.

The boy's uniform was a soft sky blue, with dark green lining the sleeves, collar, and end of the shirt. A red tie and tan pants completed it. An ugly thing, really. The girls wore basically the same thing, except instead of pants they wore dark green skirts.

"Naruto," Sasuke called out, pulling the boy out of his daydreaming state of mind. "Lets go, dobe." The blonde stared at him crossly for a moment before leading him away. They walked all the way to an old market area, where the buildings were ancient and the paint was chipping off in places. It made the Uchiha, who was used to a life of finery, cringe at the thought that his friend lived in such a place.

But it was one building that caught his interest. Though it was old like the structures surrounding it, the off-white paint was still new. A large sign was above the door. In red letters against a black background, cursive letters spelled out:

Akatsuki Clothing and Design 

Looking away from the sign, he could see that the door to the shop was open, and girls ranging from middle school to college crowded around beautifully hand-made clothes. Judging by the designs, it was easy for him to tell that at least the owner must be of Japanese heritage.

Suddenly, a lovely woman with blonde hair and dark eyes tackled Naruto, causing the younger blonde to laugh. "Hey, Deidara!" He said happily as the older blonde ruffled his hair. If Sasuke was confused before, he was shocked when he heard the woman's voice next.

"Naru-chan, who's your friend?" This fair person was not a woman, but a _man!_

"This is Sasuke, Itachi's brother," the younger boy replied. Sasuke blinked, having lost memory of what Naruto was talking about for the moment. Then…

"_Where's niisan?" Sasuke had been two, and just entered the orphanage. "Itachi-niisan, where is he?" The social worker looked at the boy sympathetically as he rambled in his family's native tongue._

"_We're looking for him," she replied kindly. "Then you'll go to live with him and Itachi will take care of you."_

But he never did come. No one could find him, he moved around far too much. Itachi had never known the fate of the family he left behind, nor the brother who would be put up for adoption.

"I….Itachi?" Sasuke whispered, as if it weren't true. Naruto nodded solemnly.

"I found him after I left," the blonde explained. Sasuke wanted to question further, but Naruto had already run up the stairs to the second floor. Following, Sasuke found himself in a large bedroom with a balcony that looked over the marketplace.

Naruto was pulling off his shirt, an orange man's kimono with a red fox wrapping around sat on the bed. Sasuke's head tilted slightly to the side when his friend spoke. "I work here as the cashier," Naruto explained as he began to put the kimono on. "Itachi and Deidara are teaching me how to make clothes, so soon I'll be taking orders myself. We're already swamped, it seems, and Sasori and Kisame have been working all night."

"Can I help?" Sasuke didn't really know why he asked, but it seemed to be the right idea. Naruto nodded and tossed a dark blue kimono with a black, red-eyed dragon wrapping around. "So you all wear the clothes for advertisement, right?" The blonde nodded, leading the raven-hair back down the stairs.

There was no time for talking right then, because customers from all over the city had flooded the small shop. Deidara gave orders to Sasuke, saying, "Do you know how to take measurements?" "Can you handle that girl, you know, the one with the red hair and pony-tail? Thanks." "Oh, crap…Sasuke, could you help this little girl? Her mom's somewhere around here."

Sasuke was exhausted by the time the last string of customers left. Naruto looked a little tired, but he seemed so used to the work that it didn't look like it phased him at all. The door's bell chimed, causing the boy to snap his attention to what looked like an older version of himself.

Itachi didn't give notice to his younger brother, but instead strode past him. Depositing his gray trench coat, he began to ask Naruto and Deidara how many orders were for him, sorry that he was missing, there was something about a new shipment of fabric that needed to be cleared up, and, oh, is dinner ready yet?

Deidara began chuckling slightly as Itachi continued, causing the older raven-hair to stop. "What's with you?" He asked, glaring slightly.

"Well, if _I_ had a carbon copy in the room, I'd pay a bit more attention," he replied sharply. Itachi blinked, then looked over at Sasuke, who stared holes through his older brother.

"Oh," he remarked. "I see. This isn't good. I'll be hiding now." And thus the Uchiha walked off rather swiftly, and the sound of a door being shut stopped Sasuke from his idea of running after.

"Don't worry about him, he's just surprised and a bit nervous," Deidara reassured him. "He'll talk to you eventually, so don't get upset or anything." Sasuke nodded, and began to stare at the floor. "Why don't you stay the night, Hun? It's pretty late, and dinners almost ready anyway. Hey! Sasori! Kisame! Get your lazy asses out here and help me!"

Deidara disappeared into the door labeled "Employees Only", which Sasuke guessed must be part of the main living area. A red hair man, who the Uchiha had believed to be Gaara for a moment, emerged from the stairs with an irritated look on his face, followed by a black hair man with pale, almost blue, skin. They, too, disappeared behind the door and, soon, he could hear Deidara arguing with the redhead.

Naruto and Sasuke looked to each other, and silence cursed them once again for that day. Finally, Sasuke said, "So you found my brother, huh?"

"Yea…"

"How long have you been living with him and this bunch?"

"About five years, I think…"

Sasuke sighed and stood, causing Naruto to only stare in slight curiosity before being pulled into the Uchiha's embrace. "You know how freaking worried I was for you?" Sasuke hissed in the blonde's ear. "Not a letter or anything. I wanted to go with you so much, but you left anyway…"

Naruto was crimson in the face as his friend held him there for seconds, minutes…Sasuke leaned down to kiss him, and was inches away when…

"Dinner's ready!" Deidara was beaming with pride and delight before pausing to stare at the situation: Sasuke, angry and steaming, and Naruto, bright red and muttering. "What'd you do, Sasuke, propose to the kid?"

"Did not!" The boys snapped in perfect unison, causing the older blonde to laugh and shrug.

"Naru-chan, you shouldn't be ashamed to be _gay_," he said, only causing Naruto to turn a deeper shade of red. "I mean, look at Itachi and me. We're perfectly happy and—"

_SMACK!_ Deidara was clutching his head with an angry Sasori behind him. "We do NOT need the details, Dei," he growled. "Every time you start talking like that, I end up with more images than I need!" Storming back into the kitchen, Deidara followed, shouting his anger at the redhead.

"Um, yea…" Naruto shrugged, chuckling nervously, looking over at Sasuke. "Itachi and Deidara are a couple, but Sasori and Kisame are straight. I think Sasori has a girlfriend or something." Sasuke sighed, walking into the kitchen, a confused blonde following him.

"Can we talk after dinner, Naruto?" He asked, glancing back just as he reached the door. Naruto hesitated before nodding grimly.

Dinner in this household was chaotic. And messy. Nothing at all like Sasuke's home life, where he usually ate with only Kabuto or no one at all. Here, it was necessary that EVERYONE eat together. It was frightening, but kind of fun, too.

Dinner was delicious, too, if not a strange combination of different food cultures. There was Japanese cuisine, along with Italian and French. Drinks ranged from sake to soda. Truth be told, it was more like a restaurant setting than just dinner for six people.

Good and drunk, Itachi was basically closed off from the real world so Sasuke couldn't talk to him at all. Instead, he almost died of laughter the way his older brother kept watching Deidara move about, coming in with new servings or drink for everyone. Occasionally Deidara would wink at the older Uchiha, and Naruto would shake his head and groan with embarrassment.

When Deidara and Itachi snuck off upstairs, and Sasori and Kisame disappeared into their rooms, Naruto and Sasuke began to clean up. "Naruto," Sasuke said after about ten minutes of silence. "What did you find out? I mean, about your family?" Naruto sighed, and looked down.

"Not a lot," he replied, putting a plate into the cupboard. "Just basically what Itachi told me. What he said was…"

_It had been a warm day when Yondaime Uzumaki walked into the Uchiha home, where Itachi, Deidara, Sasori, and Kisame were talking with each other about the three month old, Sasuke. They turned their attention immediately to the eighteen-year-old and the blonde infant he carried._

"_This is Naruto?" Itachi asked, peering at the face, not yet marked by whiskers, covered by blankets. "So Kono's really…?" Yondaime nodded, tears stinging his eyes._

"_She died during childbirth," Yondaime muttered. "But I'm afraid it wasn't natural." When the children, only ten at this time, looked back with concern, Yondaime added, "I can't explain right now, but Naruto and I are in grave danger. I'm working on finding safety for Naruto, but…"_

"_Yondaime," Deidara looked worried. "You'll be okay, wont you, Yondaime?" The young man looked at his young friends gravely._

"_I don't know," he said at last. "But, Itachi, there's something I have to ask you…" The group quietly left the room, allowing Itachi and their beloved Yondaime to speak. "Itachi. Will you be Naruto's godfather? I know you're young, but I also know you'll be good for him. And with Sasuke here, Naruto will have someone his own age to play with and grow up with."_

"_Yondaime—"_

"_Itachi, please." Yondaime was crying now, and Itachi could tell that it was not fear that gripped his friend, but a great sadness. "Naruto is all I have left. I want him to be safe and happy, even if I can't…so…please…"_

_Itachi agreed, and the others returned. They all cried together, for wasn't this the last time they would ever see their friend?_

_Yondaime left with Naruto, smiling back at Itachi, Sasori, Deidara, and Kisame. And with a chuckle, he said, "Akatsuki."_

"_Akatsuki," they replied gravely. And finally, he was gone forever._

Sasuke didn't know what to say as he stared at his friend. "Naruto…" He wanted to form a sentence, but he couldn't. The desperate and despaired look on the blonde's face stopped all form of thought and speech.

"It's okay, Sasuke," he replied, smiling lightly. "It's good enough, for now." Somehow, this angered Sasuke.

"How can it be good enough?!" He shouted. "Five years, with only that small bit of information? It's not good enough, Naru-chan!" There was a pause, it seemed, as Sasuke breathed heavily for a moment. Then Naruto began to laugh. "What's so damn funny?"

"You called me Naru-chan!" He replied through fits of laughter. "I'm sorry. It's been so _long_ since I've heard that name! ... Sasu-chan." The name was supposed to tease the Uchiha, but only caused him to embrace the blonde again, only more tightly. "S-Sasuke! What're you—"

"I told you," the raven-hair growled. "I told you a long time ago. No matter what happens, I love you, and I'll never let anyone else have you. Got it?" Naruto was blushing again, and was silent as Sasuke kissed his forehead, smoothing his spiky bangs back. "And that's how it'll always be…"

Silver: And there's chapter one for all of you! -

Mustang: Didn't I kill you?

Silver: I always bounce back, sweety. Anywho, it's kind of sketchy right now, at least I think so. I _originally _had, like, seven chapters typed up. But then my dad went and accidentally erased them all, and I had to start all over again. So…yea… /Shot by Mustang/

Mustang/Walks off/

Gaara: TT /Sweat drop/

11


	2. If You Really Love Me

Search For Truth

Silver: It's me again!

Mustang: Why…won't…she…die?

Silver: ….yea… Well, here's chapter two and all. Things are starting off crazy, and it's only the beginning! Now, just so everyone knows, I'll be switching back and forth between Sasuke's viewpoint and Naruto's. Keep everyone on track, you know? Take it away, Gaara!

Gaara: _All Naruto characters do NOT belong to Silver Kiramoto in any way outside of this fanfiction. All events portrayed here are completely fictional and in no way associated with real/published events. So…. whatever…_

Silver: -

"Sasuke, get off!"

"Aw, come on, Naru-chan…"

"Hell no! Off! OFF! Itachi!"

"Don't call out to me…"

"But Itachi! He's going to—I SAID OFF!" Itachi walked in, only to see the poor blonde pinned to his own mattress by Sasuke, who glared at his older brother coming to the boy's rescue.

"Sasuke," Itachi grumbled, holding his head, which pounded from a hangover. He wasn't wearing a shirt, and Sasuke didn't have to guess why, and his sweats looked like they had been tossed on without thought. "Look, little brother, I really don't feel like dealing with charges for molest in my house, okay? If you're going to do that to him, do it when he's sleeping, or with duct tape over his mouth, or something."

Deidara walked in, clinging to his boyfriend's arm as Naruto, who had been stripped to his boxers, stared open mouthed at his guardian. "Itachi! Don't encourage him like that!" The older Uchiha shrugged, walking out of the room, no longer caring for so much shouting after a night of drinking and…. other activities… (A/N: I'll leave that to YOUR imaginations…)

Sasuke removed himself from Naruto, who sighed in relief. He had thought for a second that… He shook the thought from his mind. He watched the Uchiha with amusement, because the boy was steaming so angrily. The presence of Itachi had probably annoyed him, so he just felt like sulking now. "You're like a little puppy who can't have his bone," Naruto commented, lying on his stomach and smiling up at him. After a moment of thought, he added, "Hopefully you don't put your mind in the gutter for that."

Sasuke laughed, and shook his head. "I sometimes wonder who's really the more twisted," he said. Naruto looked up at him innocently.

"What do you mean?" He asked sweetly. "I'm completely clear of mind." There was a moment that Sasuke stared at him, making him add, "If you jump on me again, I'll have Sasori kick your ass."

The Uchiha shrugged, walking downstairs as the smell of French toast came into the room. Naruto quickly put on his pajamas before going downstairs. As he ate, Deidara asked if Sasuke and Naruto could run an errand for him. "Sure, Dei," Naruto replied. "What do you need?"

"Oh, just some extra fabric," Deidara said. "I have to get a dress done today, and I'm all out of blue fabric. Preferably the soft kind." Naruto laughed, wondering why Deidara couldn't call fabrics by names. However, he and Sasuke finished breakfast and left.

There wasn't a lot of talking between the two friends as they busied about the fabric shop, searching for the fabric Deidara had requested. They saw a few kids from school, waved hello and continued on their way. However, they hadn't expected to run into Hinata and Gaara.

Naruto had only glimpsed Sasuke's two friends, and hadn't actually spoken to them yet. However, Sasuke was quick to greet Hinata and Gaara before introducing them to Naruto.

"This is Naruto Uzumaki," Sasuke said. "The one I spent my time in the orphanage with. Thanks to him, neither of us was adopted for years. Naruto, this is Hinata Hyuuga and Gaara Subakuno. They have homeroom with us."

Naruto felt pleasant about Hinata, she seemed to have this motherly glow about her, but Gaara…. Gaara was a little intimidating. It didn't seem like he got a lot of sleep, either, if the rings around his eyes were any indication. But, he turned out to be friendly enough when he asked if Sasuke and Naruto would join them for lunch at the café.

"Sure," Naruto replied happily. "We just have to drop something off at the shop real quick."

"Okay," Gaara said. "It's not right away, so you can take your time. Meet us there around eleven thirty." The two groups separated and went their own ways.

After dropping off the fabric, the two decided to kill time by looking around at the various shops. Many were, as they both knew, quite old and some were close to being run down. But the families had been dedicated to their shops for generations, and couldn't bear to give them up. When Sasuke asked why the Akatsuki had set up shop in the district, Naruto replied, "It brings business for the lesser shops. You see, the Akatsuki is a pretty popular clothing shop. People from other countries order our designs, and people from the other places in town come to check it out. Well, common sense is, if you're browsing, might as well take a look at everything."

Sasuke stared for a few seconds, making Naruto laugh. "Okay, how about this," the blonde continued. "Say a woman comes to the Akatsuki looking for a dress, sets the appointment and everything, but has to get to a meeting. But, she hasn't had anything to eat that day. Well, since the popular restaurants and such are too far away, why not see if there's any good food here?"

"Makes sense," Sasuke muttered. Naruto watched as the boy thought more on the subject before smiling. "So that's why the Akatsuki travels so much, right? When a popular store comes to a shopping district that receives only so much business, customers suddenly come from everywhere. Thus, business skyrockets for everyone."

"That's right!" Naruto beamed. "It's exactly right. It's all business sense." They had come across a back ally, and the blonde was suddenly pushed into it. "S-Sasuke! Th-this has got to stop!" But the raven-hair wouldn't listen, and only proceeded to kiss his smaller companion and playfully nip at him. "Why do you do this?" Naruto groaned when he finally got some air.

"Do you hate me, Naruto?" There was a long silence as Naruto stared at his friend in disbelief.

"No Sasuke, it's just—"

"You don't think of me like I do you?" Naruto opened his mouth but no words came out. He didn't know how he felt about Sasuke, at least anywhere past friendship. But obviously the Uchiha took the silence in the wrong direction. "Okay. I understand. I guess I was just being stupid and thinking of crazy things or something."

Sasuke darted across the street and, in desperation, Naruto started to follow. "Sasuke, wait!" When the Uchiha turned to look at the blonde, a look of shock and fear crossed his face.

"Naruto, watch out!" Naruto turned, heard a sharp squealing noise and then—

_Naruto was ten years old again as he watched a man and woman admiring Sasuke. "He's so calm," the woman remarked, "Not like the other children." The Uchiha watched them dimly, but when he looked at Naruto there was a plea in his eyes. Taking his cue, the blonde tugged on the lady's sleeve._

_The woman turned, and cooed at the little boy. "Isn't he just adorable, honey?" She said. "What's your name dear?"_

"_Naruto," he replied. The man turned his attention away from Sasuke as well, and the boy ran off._

"_Hey there, little man," he said, grinning. "You seem like an active one. Do you like to play games?" Naruto nodded. "What kind of games?"_

"_Fly!" When the pair asked him what that was, Naruto pulled several beetles out of his pocket and threw them in their faces. "Fly!" The pair screamed, and proceeded to leave the orphanage._

"_Thanks, Naru-chan," Sasuke said, coming out of hiding. Naruto smiled, nodding._

"_Don't worry, Sasu-chan," he answered. "I wont let anyone separate us, okay? I promise." The friends smiled at each other before running off to get lunch._

_About three years passed by. Naruto and Sasuke were on the small hill located in the playground that belonged to the orphanage. Sasuke refused to look at his friend, who was trying to persuade him to understand why he was leaving. "Sasuke, I have no idea what I'm doing here," he persisted. "I wont get anywhere just sitting here and waiting for someone to adopt us both. I need to figure out who I am."_

"_Then let me come with you!" Sasuke snapped, turning around. Tears flooded the boy's eyes. "Please Naruto…I….I…" He kissed the blonde full on the mouth, and there was a pause in motion for a moment before Naruto jumped away._

"_S-Sasuke! Wh-what are you doing?!" He stuttered, the feeling of Sasuke's lips on his lingering._

"_Naruto I…" Sasuke looked down, a deep red in the face. "I know it sounds crazy, but…but… Naruto, I think I….Love you." Naruto didn't know how to respond or even what to think or feel. "I think I've always loved you, ever since you first came to the orphanage. I don't want anything or anyone to take you away from me. I wont let it happen! I'll do anything to keep you with me, Naruto, I will."_

"_Sasuke, I can't let you—"_

"_Don't say that!" Sasuke had grabbed his friend roughly by the shoulders, forcing the boy to look into his face. "No matter what happens, I love you, Naruto! And I wont let anyone else have you! Got that?" The blonde was suddenly scared of Sasuke's intensity, the way he stared with some kind of obsession. As if his whole world revolved around Naruto._

"_Okay…" Sasuke sighed with relief, and Naruto told him that they would leave together two nights from them. Believing him, Sasuke questioned no more and continued as if all were normal._

_But it was that night that Naruto would leave. He cried softly as he looked back at his sleeping friend, a note from the blonde on his pillow that read:_

I'm sorry. I broke my promise.

Always,

Naru-chan

_This was for the best, he knew. Sasuke was obsessed, and it wouldn't be good for either of them if he were to come along. No matter how sad it was for both of them, Naruto had to leave his best friend behind._

"Naruto? You awake, Naruto?"

Naruto's eyes blinked open, as he thought vaguely of his dream. /It's been so long since I've even thought of that…/ He thought. He glanced around him, noticing an IV hooked into him and a grave-faced Sasuke staring down at him.

"Thank fucking god," the raven-hair gasped. "I'm so freaking sorry. I feel so stupid, letting you walk into that like you did." Naruto start to rise, and immediately his head began to jolt with pain. "Wait, chill, Naru-chan, just sit back. You cracked your head right open. You've been out for twelve hours."

"What about Gaara-san and Hinata-san?" Naruto mumbled.

"Japanese titles? You must be zoned out," Sasuke said, smiling softly. "You don't usually give anyone _respectful_ titles."

"Screw you. We have to get to the café thing…thing…yea…" Sasuke laughed as his friend looked around in a foggy confusion. He felt like a truck had hit him. Wait, he probably did. Were there people with trucks in the market? He couldn't remember. He was hungry. Was dinner ready yet?

"How many drugs did they pump into you? Doctor, hey doctor!" Naruto could barely hear his friend, who watched him with great worry as he screamed for the doctor. He just wanted to keep sleeping…

He didn't really sleep that time. Just dozed off a little, when he finally heard voices.

"….just had a bad reaction to the medication. He should be fine now. Oh, look, he's already back." Naruto blinked, seeing a woman with blonde hair and large….Yea….Her name-tag said "Tsunade", but he couldn't read the last name. "You back now?"

"I think so," he grumbled. "What happened?"

"You were hit by a car. Luckily it wasn't too bad. Didn't have to do stitches or anything. But you had a slight reaction to the medication, I guess. You were high as a kite for a bit." And with that, Dr. Tsunade left the room, leaving the boys alone.

"The doctor says we should be able to go home now," Sasuke said. "Come on. Itachi and everyone are waiting outside."

On the way home, things were oddly silent. Sasuke was unusually far away from Naruto, and refused to speak with him. He'd only stare at Naruto guiltily before turning to look back out the window. Naruto wondered if it had something to do with earlier.

_Do you hate me, Naruto?_

When they stopped at Sasuke's house, which was more it's own city than a house, Naruto asked if he could speak with him outside.

They stared at each other for a long time before Naruto spoke up. "I don't hate you, Sasuke," he said. The Uchiha was staring at the ground. "And I don't want you to think the accident was your fault. I was the idiot who wasn't watching where I was going."

"But it was," Sasuke argued. "Thanks to me you…" Naruto grew angry all of a sudden and slapped him. There was a stunned silence where they stayed frozen in that position, like a photograph.

"Stop blaming yourself," he snapped. "Not everything that happens to me has to be your responsibility. I can think and act for myself. That's why…. That's why I left you at the orphanage, all those years ago. You were obsessing over every last thing I did, and you're doing it again. If you really, really, _really_ love me…" Their eyes locked; Sasuke's distant black, Naruto's serious blue. "If you do, you'll let me go."

"…. Alright." Naruto smiled and hugged the Uchiha tightly.

"Thank you," he said. Then he shocked them both; Naruto looked up and kissed Sasuke on the mouth, causing the raven-hair to freeze up. When he broke away, he laughed evilly before heading back to the car. "See you, Sasu-chan!" And as the car drove off, he watched a smile cross his friend's face before he shoved his hands in his pockets and walked off.

"Well that was active," Itachi muttered as they drove along. Naruto nodded and sighed.

"So, do you have that letter, Naru-chan?" Deidara asked, glancing back at him from the front passenger's seat.

"Yes, it's right here." The young blonde pulled out a yellowing envelope that had been addressed to him.

The written words on it said:

_Come find me._

_Yondaime Uzumaki_

Silver: Yay! I'm done with chapter two! Unfortunately, I wont be able to post for about another week or two. /cry/ Sorry! That's just how it has to be. Bye!

Mustang/Locked in a closet/

8


	3. Happy Birthday, Sasuke

Search For Truth

Silver: Sorry for the long wait, everyone, but here's chapter three of the _Search For Truth_ saga! Turns out that Naruto has more secrets than he originally let on, possessing a letter from his father and all. But all is not lost for the Sasu-Naru fans, as his relationship with Sasuke is taking a turn for the better. Can they keep up this winning streak? Keep reading, and maybe we'll find out!

Itachi: _All Naruto characters do NOT belong to Silver Kiramoto in any way outside of this fanfiction. All events portrayed here are completely fictional and in no way associated with real/published events. Now leave me alone._

Silver: By the way, I'm also writing a Kingdom Hearts yoai fanfiction. - It's going to be fun. It's a Riku x Sora and Roxas x Axel fanfiction.

It didn't make any sense. Where the hell was Naruto?

Sasuke checked his watch again; the bell was about to ring for homeroom, and Naruto hadn't showed up. In fact, he hadn't seen the blonde at all since Sasuke was dropped off after returning from the hospital. Finally, relief swept over him just as the bell rang. The boy rushed up to join his friend, panting heavily.

"Sorry, Sasuke," he said when questioned about his tardiness. "I woke up after my alarm this morning. I was up late last night, helping Itachi."

"Helping him with what?" Sasuke asked, and his eyebrow rose.

"Finding something important," Naruto replied, grinning. "It's top secret, so don't ask." The Uchiha shook his head, sighing. He wanted to ask, because Naruto seemed to be hiding something from him again. But, he wanted to change, like the boy had asked the other night. It'd be nice to have Naruto _willfully_ kiss him again.

When everyone was settled into homeroom, chatting away and doing class assignments, Gaara spoke up. "What're we planning for your birthday, Sasuke?" He asked. "I was going to ask at the café, but then you went and got your boyfriend hit by a car." Sasuke glared at him, though he knew Gaara didn't mean anything by it. He was a blunt person, and he couldn't change that.

Naruto chuckled pleasantly. "It wasn't Sasuke's fault," he insisted. "I wasn't paying attention, that's all. I'm a dumbass, after all."

"I know you don't like parties, though, Sasuke," Hinata chimed in. "So, why don't we go somewhere; just the four of us? A new theme park just opened up, so I was thinking we could go on your birthday this Thursday." Sasuke had heard of the theme park the other week, but didn't have much interest in it at the time.

"Wow, a theme park?" Naruto gasped excitedly. "That sounds like so much fun! We had a nice one when I was a kid, but the supervisors didn't have the money to let us all go."

"Oh yeah, I remember that," Sasuke replied. "You and I snuck out that one time to try and go anyway, but we didn't have enough money saved up to get tickets. Then you thought you could sneak in and we got in trouble with the manager." Naruto laughed happily. "You're a real dumbass, you know?"

"Are we done with memory lane now?" Gaara asked irritably. This caught Sasuke's attention, for it wasn't the red head's usual annoyance. He had a feeling that Gaara was becoming a bit jealous of Naruto. Hinata seemed to see this as well, and pulled their friend aside.

"What's up?" Naruto asked, oblivious to what had just happened. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Not necessarily," Sasuke answered. "At least, I wouldn't think so. Gaara is easily annoyed with people, and he's always a grouch what with his insomnia and all." Still, he had a feeling he would need to talk with his irritated friend, and hopefully clear things up.

Unfortunately, he didn't have a chance to speak with him for the rest of the week. Gaara had begun to avoid Sasuke, in the halls and even in class. Hinata had been sworn to secrecy, and explained that he would have to ask Gaara himself about the problem.

As Thursday finally came, Sasuke had become agitated and generally pissed. He was at last able to corner Gaara, and had begun to think that cornering people was becoming a specialty of his. "What the hell is up with you, Subakuno? Jealousy isn't something common with you, and it's beginning to piss me off. So fess up and tell me; what's your problem with Naruto?"

Gaara stared emotionless for several moments before coming up with an answer. "I know, it's stupid," he finally said. "I got all jealous just because you and Naruto knew each other as kids and crap. Then I got pissed off with myself for getting upset with something like that. Plus, Lee's been all sketchy and everything lately…"

"Lee?" Rock Lee, the well known "Youth Power" or whatever the hell it was, just happened to be dating Sasuke's best friend, Gaara Subakuno. "What's up with Lee? I thought everything was going great with you two?"

"I…I don't know." Gaara looked upset and desperate, emotions Sasuke didn't like seeing on his friend's face. "He's been depressed lately, and he's lost all of his usual energy. He just kind of spaces out, and doesn't even _try_ to cover up the fact that something's upsetting him. But he wont _tell_ me!"

Sasuke felt a new bond between him and his friend, for he too was worried about the one he loved most. Naruto was clearly troubled by something. But was he going to tell Sasuke? Was he going to lift any worries? No.

"I'll help you." Gaara looked up, perplexed expression at what his friend just said. "Bring Lee to the theme park with us today. Help him unwind a bit. Maybe then he'll spill what's been going on. We'll even let Hinata bring Kiba, make it look like we're doing a triple date thing."

"Really? But, Sasuke, we were supposed to just do a four of us thing. Do you really…?" Sasuke was already texting Hinata, telling her the basic details as he nodded towards Gaara.

"I mean it," he replied. "You and Lee are great together. I don't want the two of you to drop just because something's upsetting one of you."

"…Thanks, Sasuke," Gaara said, smiling. "You're the best. Really."

"No, I'm not," he insisted. "I'm pretty conceited."

"Not true, Sasuke." The Uchiha laughed.

"It is…" He shook his head. "I'm a conceited, selfish bastard." Before Gaara could come up with something to say, Sasuke turned and left.

That was the first time he could admit something like that out loud. Well, he always knew he was selfish and obsessed over things, but he never actually _admitted_ to it. He wondered what Naruto would say if he told him. Probably agree, and then laugh about it.

As a matter of fact, Naruto had arrived just then. "Hey, Sasuke," he said, grinning. "Did you talk to Gaara yet?" Sasuke nodded, chuckling.

"Yea, stuff between him and his boyfriend has been making him upset," he told the blonde, shrugging. "I told him to bring Lee and we'll turn my birthday into a triple date." Naruto's head tilted to the side.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke rolled his eyes and ruffled the blonde's hair.

"I mean, dumbass, that Hinata is going with Kiba, Gaara is going with Lee, and whether you like it or not, you're going with me. Comprende?"

"You realize that part of that just rhymed?" Naruto teased, laughing. "And since when do you control me?"

"Since I said so," Sasuke replied, walking off. The blonde ran to catch up, tugging on his friend's sleeve playfully. "What in hell are you doing?" Though he said this in a tone of annoyance, his smile and laugh gave him away.

"Well, if we're going like a couple we should act like one, right?" Sasuke rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

"I never know what to think about you, Naruto."

"That you love me, cherish me, and will feed me lots of ramen?" He answered, winking. "Oh, not to mention cute. You can't say I'm not cute."

"You're not cute," Sasuke answered. "There. I said it." Naruto faked a look of shock and despair.

"So mean, Sasu-chan…" (Silver: Chickenmaflabla! Ha, I broke the action sequence…thing…)

The final bell rang, excusing the school. The boys grabbed their things and headed over to the Akatsuki, deciding to spend some time there until it was time for everyone to head over to the theme park. For whatever reason, Itachi was the only one there that day. "I'm going to get something real quick, okay Sasuke?" Naruto said, running up the stairs. This left the two brothers alone, and in a rather awkward silence.

"So," Itachi broke the silence, causing Sasuke to jump in surprise. "How's everything going for you, little brother?" The younger Uchiha blinked, as if he suddenly couldn't understand the language his brother spoke.

"Everything's cool," he muttered at last, looking down. "You?"

"I actually have no orders, for once," Itachi replied, glancing at the notebook, scribbled all over with Deidara's handwriting. There was another odd silence, and Naruto seemed to be taking forever. Finally the older of the two sighed, placing a hand to his forehead. "You probably hate me, don't you?"

The question shocked Sasuke, not only for the fact that it was an odd question for his older brother to ask, but also because it was partially true. "Why did you leave, Itachi?" Sasuke asked, glaring at the ground in refusal to face his brother. "I remember that much about you, Itachi. You were fighting with father, and then you just stormed out of the house. Why is that?"

"Because of you, Sasuke." The boy was about to snap at Itachi, but the older of the two stood beside him with a hand on his brother's shoulder. The look in his eyes didn't speak of hatred; it didn't really tell Sasuke anything. It was distant, but he couldn't be sure if the rest was longing, sadness, or some mix of it all. "Don't think too wrongly of our parents; in their hearts they loved us both. But you—"

"Sorry it took so long, Sasuke!" Naruto chimed, interrupting the two. "I accidentally lost track of our tickets, but I found them!" The blonde waved the tickets in the air proudly, his smile and whiskers adding an interesting "trickster" theme to his face. "Ready to go?"

Sasuke looked up at his brother, who nodded and turned away. "You two have fun, alright? Don't get into trouble or anything," he said. "I already told you; I don't want to deal with courts or anything of the sort." Sasuke stared at his brother a few more moments before joining Naruto at the door.

"How in hell did we get separated?" Sasuke asked, looking through the crowd of people. They had just arrived with Hinata, Kiba, Gaara, and Lee. All was going well; they stopped for something to eat, and had been planning out their visits to the attractions. Sadly, they hadn't even decided their first destination, so Sasuke and Naruto couldn't even begin to think where the others might be.

"Lets just try to find them before we lose each other, too," Naruto said, grinning as if this were a game.

"I wouldn't lose you," Sasuke replied defensively. _How could I? You're so loud half the time; it'd be impossible,_ he thought. Proving his point, Naruto began calling out for Sasuke to take a look at one of the animals in the petting zoo. People stared at Naruto, since he was, after all, a seventeen-year-old boy who was getting excited over baby animals. "Naruto, you're such a loser."

"And you love me for it, so deal with it!" The boy stuck out his tongue when Sasuke kissed him on the cheek. The blonde turned a light red in color before turning back to look at a baby alpaca. Sasuke could only laugh before taking Naruto's hand and dragging him away. "Do you have to do that stuff in public, Sasuke?" Naruto asked, still blushing.

"Of course I do," he replied. "After all, you're my boyfriend, aren't you?" Naruto turned an even deeper shade of red.

"B-boyfriend? Since when?" But Naruto didn't really question it further; Sasuke knew that he wouldn't, after the night the blonde kissed him. They stopped in their tracks, Sasuke grinning down at Naruto, still beet red.

"Since you kissed me," Sasuke replied, and then continued down the path. Again, there was no argument, and Naruto seemed a little bubblier after that, as they gave up on trying to find their friends. Mostly meaning, they DID find them, but REALLY didn't want to bother either couple. (A/N: I'll let you all run as many imaginative thoughts on this as you desire. Chickenmaflabla. /points to person hovering as writing is happening/ He told me to say it again.)

After a few rides, cotton candy, and a soda, the boys rested on a bench beside the Merry-Go-Round. The music played behind them, actually putting Sasuke into a more relaxed mood. "Eighteen already, huh?" Naruto's comment caused the raven hair to blink. He then laughed and nodded.

"Yea," he replied. "Seems kind of like life went by fast and slow at the same time. Now I've gotta deal with all kinds of crap. Inheritance is the big thing, though." Naruto stared at the Uchiha for a moment before Sasuke continued. "Itachi wouldn't accept it, so it's all mine now. But I don't have anything I really want to do with it. The business is taken care of, not that I was interested in manning three city's worth of police forces. So, now, I haven't an idea what to do with myself."

"Well, what do you love most?" Sasuke stared at the blonde, grinning as he waited for Naruto to get it. "Besides me, Sasuke. I'm being serious here. To you, what would be worth money and dedication for you?" Sasuke began thinking…And thinking…

But all that came up were memories of his time with Naruto when they were kids. Getting into everything together, waiting for the day that a family would take them both into their home, not just the good kid with a family fortune behind him. An idea burst into his mind, and he whipped out his cell phone.

Rapidly dialing, Naruto asked what he was doing. But he was silent as the person on the other line finally picked up. "Hello? Yakamaru Children's Orphanage, Kiya Hokijo speaking."

"Are you still selling the orphanage?" Sasuke asked, bringing a shocked expression to Naruto's face.

"Sadly, yes, we are. Why do you ask?" The woman's voice sounded a little upset about this fact.

"I'm interested in buying. I'll take whatever price you give me," he said, smiling. The woman gave a slight gasp before telling him to wait for a moment. He could hear rapid whispering in the background before Kiya returned with the price. "That sounds great. I'll come by for the paperwork as soon as possible. Thanks. Bye." (A/N: I'm not telling the price. Mainly because I don't feel like making up a price for an orphanage… Victory dance! (..) (.. ) ( ..) (..) Ha ha!)

"You bought the orphanage?" Naruto asked, stunned. "You actually bought_ our_ orphanage?"

"Yes, Naruto," he replied, a little shocked himself. "I bought our orphanage."

"Wow, Sasuke," the blonde muttered, running his fingers through his hair.

"I don't know what I'll name it, though. I mean, not a whole lot of kids will be able to look back happily to their time in an orphanage. Not like us, anyway." Sasuke sighed, wondering suddenly what he had just done.

Naruto, however, looked as if he was thinking. Or he was spacing out, Sasuke could never be sure anymore. "Little Fox Orphanage," Naruto finally spoke up, grinning. Sasuke could only stare, not quite sure why the blonde had picked this name. "When we were kids, you used to call me "little fox" because of the marks on my cheeks. Remember?"

"Oh yea," he muttered, thinking about how frustrated the tiny blonde would get when the name was directed towards him. "Sounds odd. But interesting. Well. I'm now going to be the proud owner of Little Fox Orphanage. I'll regret this one day, I know it." Naruto could only laugh.

Silver: Well, now we finally have chapter three. Sorry if it wasn't very fulfilling. But now we know that Sasuke will be the owner of his childhood orphanage. This will become a key part of the story later on, as well as Sasuke's adoptive family. (If you don't remember who they are, look back at chapter two. Well, goodbye! (..) (.. ) ( ..) (..) 

8


	4. Foxes

Silver: Hey all! Er…Sorry for the long….long…LONG wait…But here's the next installment! :D Better late than never, right? Look, I'm sorry. Unfortunately I happen to have a life, and that doesn't always give me access to a computer with internet. So…Enjoy. Or not. Don't complain to me.

Deidara: Silver owns none of the characters, just the little events she dropkicks them into.

_------------------------------_

_Come find me..._

The words lay heavy on his mind. Even through the fun and games, the memories he knew he would cherish, those words scrawled on the little slip of paper haunted him.

Naruto had found no clues to his father's location and it worried him. What if he was still alive? What if he was hurt? He felt selfish, roaming the theme park with Sasuke and laughing, as if his father weren't waiting for him somewhere.

The day ended and Sasuke walked Naruto back to the shop, his face wistful. Naruto still wondered what had given him the impulse to buy their old orphanage, but he didn't bother asking. He suspected his old friend had inquired the same thing of himself, only to find no answer.

The stars above seemed to wink at them, the moon a little sliver in the sky. They attracted the attention of both boys, causing them to stop and stare. "Thanks, Naruto," Sasuke said, never breaking his gaze. "I had a lot of fun today."

"It was nothing," he assured him.

"No, really, Naruto." Now Sasuke had turned to the boy, his expression serious. "It means a lot. I..." He hesitated. "I haven't been able to let loose like this since you left, Naruto..." Sasuke's eyes fell in a way Naruto had never seen before. Instinctively he reached out to the boy, a way of asking what had happened during their separation. "No one's hurt me or anything like that," he told Naruto defensively. "It's just...Well...You'd have to see it to understand, I think."

"Let me see it, then." Sasuke seemed to analyze him for a moment, looking him up and down and back again. His eyebrows were knit together as he thought, and he had a small frown set across his features. Then he shook his head and took Naruto's hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I can't," he said. "Not yet." Naruto was about to protest, but Sasuke interrupted him with a kiss.

How many times would they do this, only to separate again? The idea ate at Naruto as he folded his arms about Sasuke's neck, pulling himself closer and deepening the action between them. He was beginning to enjoy kissing him, but he didn't know when Naruto would have to leave him again, nor for how long. He was a sadist and a masochist, torturing both of them as more kisses came in succession of the first, each more desperate and passionate than the last, like the world's most wonderful drink dwindling down to it's last drop. Sasuke clung to him, and Naruto sensed a greater want behind the sweetness, a desire that he could not fulfill at the time not because he was afraid to break the two of them, but because he was afraid of his own innocence.

"I need to get home," Naruto gasped during a break in their exchange. Sasuke scowled at the mention, causing the boy in his arms to chuckle. Then his expression turned thoughtful, his eyes slightly curious. "What?"

"I was just thinking of something that happened recently," answered the Uchiha. "I think it concerned you, though I didn't get the full details. It could be nothing, but I think you should look in to the old apartments across town. I don't think you'll find anything interesting, since they've been condemned for years, but it's worth a peek." Sasuke didn't allow room for questions. He took Naruto's hand and led him home, not saying a word to one another. Occasionally they did happen to remind each other of their sudden embrace with a single glance, and they were turn a shade of pink before looking away. Naruto could already see that their relationship was a shaky one, part due to Sasuke's desperation that could be felt with nearly every touch, every look, and part because of Naruto's uncertainty.

It was something to be pondered at a later date. When Sasuke dropped Naruto off, he waited patiently for the boy to disappear from his sight. When he could no longer see his figure, Naruto ran inside to call a taxi. The others were not present, likely fast asleep by now. They trusted their youngest member to return home safely, though they wouldn't know until morning that he chose to leave once more.

The lights of the city flashed by the window in streaks, though Naruto paid them no mind until they began to melt into the dismal scenery of the old neighborhood. All buildings seemed nearly condemned to him, but little lights and old cars told him that they still possessed inhabitants. The driver dropped him off on a street whose nameplate had long disappeared, either due to disrepair or vandals, and Naruto began the walk to the old apartments. They loomed tall in the distance, like a depressing beacon of the area's former glory. Most of the windows were gone, and those that remained were scratched and covered in thick dust. Yet the building itself was a marvel to the blonde, who stared in awe as he tried to imagine what it had been like during its first opening.

He stood for nearly half an hour examining the building before he went inside. It resembled the outside; broken, abandoned, dusty. Doors had been left ajar, some ripped off of their frames, likely thanks to thieves who hoped for scraps of items to sell. One door had caught his interest, though he nearly missed it. The thing was still intact, but there was an odd little picture carved in to the wood. Graffiti had covered it over the years, but it stood out proudly despite it all. For an old building, the image was very intricate and detailed, completed by a talented hand. It was a little fox with long whiskers that made Naruto unconsciously touch the mysterious markings on his face.

He went inside. The entire place was bare but for a large safe that had been bolted down and an abandoned picture frame, the picture still in it, to his surprise. He ran his hands over to old metal giant, unable to be broken or stolen by those that had wandered in to the apartments like he had. It looked expensive, with a lock that could only be broken by a special key. Something precious was obviously inside.

With a defeated sigh, Naruto curiously examined the photo. He nearly dropped it. He had only seen one photo thanks to Itachi, so he knew the man in the picture to be his father. The two were a carbon copy of one another; blue eyes, blonde hair, the silly twist of the mouth trying not to give away a fun secret. The woman he had not seen, though he remembered the description of his mother. She was beautiful, with long, light brown hair and dark eyes. Her eyes held the same mischeif that her son possessed now as she held tightly to a fox plushie, likely won for her by Yondaime. They looked madly in love with each other, unable to focus on the camera because they were so transfixed with the one beside them. They were both so young, so happy. Naruto ran his fingers gently across the photo-the glass had been broken, left to collect dust on the floor.

A bump. He felt a bump beneath the side of the photograph that Yondaime occupied, and Naruto excitedly pulled the picture out of the frame. After gently putting it into his pocket, Naruto pulled the little key from its hiding place. He began laughing. He probably sounded hysterical. He turned back to the safe, hands shaking as he shoved the key and opened the door. A single velvet box lay inside. It was small, the kind that held earrings and other small bits of jewelry. Dust had been unable to penetrate, just like the thieves, so the box had been left completely clean as Naruto took it.

Inside was a diamond engagement ring, obviously for the deceased woman in the photo, but also a little slip of paper. Naruto was almost afraid to touch it, as if it might burn him if he tried, but he eventually opened it.

_Son,_

_Congratulations, you've found me! Well, sort of._

_You may have guessed that this is the old apartment your mother and I lived in before you were born. Know that she was a wonderful, fantastic, inspiring woman, Naruto, and she loved you even before you were born with all of her heart. I hope the photo and this ring is enough to keep her close to you._

_Now, I realize I am leading you on quite the treasure hunt from this point on, but it's for the best. We don't want the wrong folk to discover any of this-that wouldn't be any fun, would it? So I hope you've turned out to be a smart boy, or you have a trustworthy friend-like Itachi or his brother-who can help you when you're stuck. This first little bit of information should be the only thing I'm giving you straightforward._

_In the far right corner of this room there should be a board that lifts up. Beneath it is the fox I won for your mother about a year before you were born. Kyuubi is its name and it should hold the next clue._

_Happy hunting,_

_Yondaime Uzumaki_

He closed the safe and put the letter in his pocket with the photograph before rushing to the corner. He tested the boards, all of which seemed rather loose to him, but he managed to locate another box. This one was simple cardboard, worn away by moisture and years of neglect. Gingerly Naruto pealed back the top, which fell off and on to the floor, and took the old plush toy from its hiding place. The years had been fairly kind to it, with the fur still rather soft and clean. It didn't even smell, which surprised him a little, but he was more curious about how this was supposed to help him reach his father.

He would have to thank Sasuke for the tip…

It was probably two in the morning when Naruto finally made it back to the shop, and Itachi was awake when he arrived. His face was blank, with no emotion, though that didn't mean anything. The young boy feared his guardian was angry with him.

"Where have you been, Naruto?" Itachi asked calmly. "You said you would be home by ten. Was Sasuke with you?"

"Sasuke dropped me off at ten," Naruto replied. "I called a taxi and left afterwards, though."

"Hm."

"Itachi, look, I found dad's old apartment and—"Itachi held up a hand to stop him.

"Naruto, I agreed to help you with whatever task Yondaime gave you," he stated, walking over to face the blonde. "That doesn't mean you can just run off to wherever you feel like going. You need to understand that this is dangerous business you're getting in to."

"I understand…"

"I'm not sure you do." Itachi sighed and brushed the hair from his eyes, allowing a grim expression to cross his features. "Naruto, I don't know who was after your father when I saw him last, but I'm certain that treading in to such territory will hold great risk. If you can't start taking this seriously I don't think I can let you continue."

"I'll take it seriously!" Naruto declared. "Please, Itachi, just…Let me continue. I think I can find dad." Itachi then noticed the fox and the ring box, recognition flashing in his eyes.

"I haven't seen this for almost nineteen years," he whispered. He reached to touch it but stopped himself. Then he shook his head, appearing for a moment decades older than he really was. "Just try to at least tell me what you're doing before you run off, okay? You're a part of this family, so I worry about you, kid."

Itachi went back to bed, and Naruto soon followed suit. That night he dreamed of nothing but keys, foxes, and Sasuke...

Naruto analyzed it and analyzed it, hiding all of the next day in his room, but Kyuubi didn't seem ready to give up his secrets. He just couldn't understand what was so special about the thing, not a single clue. "Dad must've thought I'd be some genius or something," grumbled Naruto, though the thought made him smile. "High expectations..."

"What are you muttering about?" Sasuke wrapped his arms around Naruto's middle, catching the blonde off guard and making him jump. This made the Uchiha laugh. "Edgy, aren't we?" he stated. "What's with the fox, Naruto? I've never seen it before."

"Something my mom used to own." He wouldn't go into details. "I got it yesterday after you left."

"Huh." Sasuke's eyes became soft and a little smile came to his face. "I'm glad you've got something of her's, if nothing else."

"Yea." Naruto snuggled it a little before turning around to face Sasuke. The boy still held on to him. "Sasuke?"

"Yes?"

"You don't think..." Naruto struggled to ask it, and he turned a little pink. "You don't think we're going too fast with this, do you? I mean, I've only been back for a short time..."

Sasuke stepped back a little, keeping his hands on Naruto's shoulder as he said, "My feelings haven't changed since we were kids, Naruto. Not for the worse, anyway. If you're nervous about jumping in to a relationship, I'll ease up, so don't think of me as some sort of sex-crazed guy looking for a good time."

"I didn't say that," Naruto retaliated, glancing away.

"No, but I'm pretty sure that was a worry of yours." Naruto didn't say anything. "I love you, Naruto. You may not love me just yet, but I love you. I always will, I know it."

"You shouldn't be so obsessive. I'm nothing special." Sasuke sighed and shook his head, as if Naruto simply wasn't getting the picture. "Don't do that to me. Besides, what would you do if I left again?"

"Easy. I'd follow you."

"That's what you said last time."

"I was cocky, then," stated the Uchiha, giving Naruto a dark grin. It made the boy's heart pound. "This time, I'll make sure you don't leave my sight."

"What, are you a stalker now?" joked Naruto, laughing. The serious look on the boy's face made him stop, however, made him pay a little more attention. Sasuke didn't say anything, just stared and stared until the point sunk in. "You're...You're _stalking_ me...?"

"Careful observation," he corrected. Naruto broke away from Sasuke, absolutely horrified that he would do such a thing.

"What the hell, Sasuke!"

"Naruto, you don't understand--"

"You can't just _follow_ people, Sasuke! You can't follow _me!_"

"Listen to me--"

"You need to see a psychologist or something, Sasuke, you're freaking me out--"

"_LISTEN._" Sasuke clamped his hand over Naruto's mouth, his eyes dark, angry, and sad. "I thought you were _dead,_ Naruto. When I heard sensei call your name in class that first day I thought someone was playing a trick on me." The blonde moved his hand away.

"That's ridiculous, Sasuke."

"Is it, Naruto? We were only kids. You ran away in the middle of the night and the police couldn't find a trace of you." Tears threatened to spill in Sasuke's eyes, and he looked away so Naruto couldn't see. "I didn't get anything. Not a phone call, or even a letter to tell me if you were safe. When the authorities gave up the search it ripped my heart out. I had to listen in on the adults, and they kept saying how someone could have kidnapped you or...or _killed_ you." Sasuke wiped his hand across his cheek, and Naruto touched the boy's arm only to earn a tired look in return. His face was flooded with tears. "I don't want to lose you again," he said, almost whispering. "I don't want to feel like that ever again, not when I know you're alive and safe. I don't think I could survive it, Naruto. I really don't think I can, not when you're all I've got."

Naruto couldn't remember seeing Sasuke cry before, not even when they were little. It was always Naruto being the crybaby, running to his friend whenever something went wrong. Now Sasuke hid in Naruto's shoulder, trying to hold back everything and resume his usual calm. It was almost frightening.

"I'm sorry," Naruto whispered, holding on to Sasuke now. "I...I didn't think..." A light laugh came from the boy in his arms.

"You didn't know," he replied. "I haven't told anyone, before." He broke down into uncontrollable laughter, shaking his head the entire time. "I feel like an ass, complaining like this."

"_You_ feel like an ass?" They laughed and laughed, though they barely knew why. Eventually Sasori passed by the door and banged on it, shouting at them to quiet down. "You're the greatest person I've ever known, Sasuke," Naruto stated, a smile still plastered to his face.

"You too, Naruto." They stared at one another for a long time before coming together, happy to simply have the taste of the other on his lips. It was brief, and when they parted Sasuke said, "I love you."

"I love you, too, Sasuke..."

-------------------

Silver: I'll admit, not a whole lot happened in this chapter, and I can't guarantee when the next post will be. Hopefully you'll check back in from time to time, checking to see when I've taken a break from my own life to control the lives of Naruto and Sasuke. Bye for now!


	5. Papers

Silver: Yay! Chapter five! :D What will we find out today? Hell, I hardly know. -fail-

Sasori: Silver owns none of the characters. Just these pathetic situations.

Silver: ;-; You're so mean, Sasori-san.

* * *

He felt like a jerk, making Naruto worry and feel so guilty. It could have been impossible for him to inform Sasuke of his well-being, but there he went, blubbering like an idiot. It felt good, though, and he couldn't complain with the results.

He had said it.

Naruto said he loved Sasuke.

Call him a giddy school-girl or whatever, but he couldn't help but grin the whole way home. Nothing could ruin his mood, not even his asshole of a stepfather.

Speaking of which, he didn't seem to be home to bother the Uchiha. God, he couldn't wait to be out of this godforsaken house. It was too big and empty, too full of memories that he didn't care to dwell upon. In two days time Sasuke would be in his own apartment, well away from Orochimaru's influence.

Sasuke showered and changed into a simple suit-he had important work today. He had to sign the papers that granted him ownership of his old orphanage. He was quite nervous about the act, seeing as he had no idea how to run a business or to take care of children. He hadn't even been able to watch Hinata's baby sister for two minutes when he was younger. How in hell was he going to get kids in to loving families?

"At least something better than this one," he promised himself, allowing a sigh to come out.

It didn't take long to reach the place. The building was in disrepair, much less joyful than it had been in Sasuke's youth. Of course, he had been quite distracted during that time, so perhaps he hadn't noticed it's state. The white paint was chipping on the outside, and the playground needed some work. Most of it was blocked off to the children, now deemed unsafe.

Speaking of the children, Sasuke grew uncomfortable as they stared at him. They varied in age, from toddlers to young teens, yet all seemed curious about his presence. The older ones appeared to have an idea, some relieved and others uninterested. He knew he must look very cold and unfeeling to them-he usually did when he was afraid of showing his true emotions. Sasuke tried to offer a warm smile. A little girl began to cry, and was led away by a six-year-old who shook her head. Oh yea, this was going wonderfully.

"You must be Uchiha-san," greeted a woman inside. She was young, probably the same age as Sasuke and used as a part-time babysitter for the kids. She had long blonde hair held back in a ponytail, and very light blue eyes with near invisible pupils, much like Hinata-chan's. "I'm Ino. I work with the kids most days when I'm out of school."

"Pleasure to meet you," he muttered. Sasuke couldn't help but notice how Ino examined him with an approving eye-it almost made him laugh. As they say, the good-looking ones are always taken, fictional, or gay. "Could you tell me where I might find Anko-san?"

"Just down the hall," replied Ino, pointing to Sasuke's left. "She should be in her office." He bade farewell to the girl and went on his way, briefly examining the rooms as he passed. The playroom, the girl's room, the boy's room, each brought back memories. It made Sasuke smile as he stared in to each, watching briefly as children giggled and played with one another. A particular pair caught his interest, a couple of boys no older than two holding on to each other's hand as they played by themselves. They were in their own little world, seperate from that of the other children, and they smiled at each other with little sticky mouths with pieces left behind from the chocolates that the caretakers always gave the kids after naps.

"Well, if it isn't Sasuke." He glanced behind him, where a man with spiked, white hair stood. For a brief moment Sasuke's memory failed him, but he soon recognized Kakashi with the black bandana covering his mouth and a patch over his eye. "Wasn't sure I'd ever see you again," he said.

"Same here, Kakashi," he answered with a small smile. "It's been a while, huh?"

"It sure has." Kakashi shoved his hands in his pockets, his thoughts as hard to read as they were the last time Sasuke had seen him. "So, you bought this old place, did you? Not a smart move on your part, if you ask me."

"No, probably not." Sasuke leaned against the doorframe and went back to watching the two boys. Their eyes were beginning to droop, making him smile. He was certain they hadn't taken their nap when they were supposed to, much too busy giggling with each other to fall asleep. "I just couldn't let this place go, though. When I learned that it was being sold, I just had to take it."

"But, now that you have it, you don't know what to do with it." Sasuke nodded, knowing full well how foolish he had been. "Well, not much we can do about that now," said Kakashi. "I've spoken with Anko, and we believe we can at least help you out and lead you down the right path. "

"Thanks," Sasuke replied, starting back down the hall.

"My pleasure, Sasuke." The man began to turn away as well, but he paused and called back, "Oh, and tell Naruto I said hi, would you?" Briefly Sasuke wanted to ask how Kakashi had known about Naruto's return-after all, it wasn't exactly public news-but he had a feeling his old caretaker would be long gone by now, disappearing before the Uchiha could even think about turning around.

Sasuke entered the office, finding the dark-haired woman shifting through papers, a determined look on her face. She motioned for him to sit without looking up, and he took a seat in an old chair whose back left leg was an inch shorter than the rest. "Give me a second, Uchiha-san," Anko said, turning around to a filing cabinet that had obviously seen better days. "I need to find a couple's adoption papers before they get here. I only have an hour before they arrive and I don't want to tell that little girl that she needs to stay in this ratty old place for another day. Not when she has a new mommy and daddy waiting to take her to a nice home." It took Anko another two minutes before she cried, "Aha!" and held the papers up like a victory flag. "I just knew Mitsuki was playing business in my drawers! Aw, she put everything in the billing folder! I swear..." Anko turned back, giving Sasuke a sheepish grin. "Heh heh...Sorry about that, Uchiha-san," she muttered, shrugging. "It's not usually this crazy in here, I promise. It's just one of our girls wants to be a CEO when she grows up and...well, how many kids wants to be something like that anyway, right? I mean, it's gotta be a one in a million thing, don't you think?"

"I guess," Sasuke answered, not sure how to respond correctly. "Mitsuki didn't misplace the papers _I_ need, did she?" Anko chuckled and produced a small packet from a handbag on her desk.

"Not a chance I'd let that little girl get a hold of this," Anko told him. "You're probably the best thing that's happened to this place in years. I was scared the person to buy us out would turn this place in to a housing development or something. I want our kids to leave us someday, but to a caring family, not to another orphanage where they don't even know anyone."

"Agreed." This made Anko smile warmly, a hint of approval in her eyes.

"So, Kakashi tells me you used to live here."

"I did, with a good friend of mine." Sasuke began signing his name, meanwhile noting Anko's probing gaze. "We were determined that no one adopted us seperately. We wanted to stay together forever, at the time."

"You always get that pair," mused the woman, her words soft as she gazed elsewhere. "It's sad, sometimes. A lot of people just can't take more than one, so the kids end up torn apart. Breaks your heart, you know?" Sasuke nodded-he knew the feeling all too well. "Anyway, we shouldn't dwell on the depressing stuff. Lets talk about your future here." Anko propped her feet up on the desk, grinning at him like the Cheshire Cat. "Taking over an Adoption Agency on a whim is likely the dumbest thing you can ever do," she scolded, and Sasuke felt his self-esteem drop a little. "But you just gotta make the best of it anyway. So, I suggest you get in to childcare classes when you head off to college, and business will help, too. I want you here after school at least three times a week and on Saturdays so you can get familiar with the children-that's real important. Plus Kakashi can fill you in on what you need to do to bring in money so we can fix up the building, the playground, get some new toys, and get the kids on fieldtrips. I'll help you with advertising so that parents will come to check out the children, hopefully pick some."

"That sounds reasonable," Sasuke replied, going through the list in his mind. A part of him wanted to ask Anko why she suddenly thought _she_ was in charge, but a bigger part told him to shut up and listen. "So, is this it?'

"For now." A loud crash caught her attention and Anko jumped to look out of the window. Sasuke noticed that it gave a full view of the playground, as well as an overturned slide, surrounded by a group of guilty-looking children. "Damn it all to hell! They've done it again!" Anko ran from the room, officially ending her session with Sasuke. He couldn't help but laugh as he watched the kids scatter like startled mice, a flailing Anko chasing after them. He didn't want to leave, but Sasuke knew that the day was winding down to an end and he still had a few more things to pack for his move.

The good day ended when Sasuke was back inside of the spacious house. Orochimaru was home, and waiting for him. "Hello, Sasuke," greeted the pale man, his joyful enthusiasm so fake the Uchiha wanted to vomit. "How was your day?"

"Good," he replied, hoping to cut the conversation short.

"I'm happy to hear that. Were you with Hinata-san and Gaara-san?"

"No." Orochimaru was probing him for information, though Sasuke didn't know what. "I was with a different friend, today."

"Oh? I didn't know you had any other friends." It was a harmless phrase, but Sasuke could feel the cold sting in the words. A stab at his social awkwardness, his inability to connect to others.

"He's an old friend," muttered Sasuke. "From the orphanage."

"Really now," Orochimaru replied, his voice filled with the sweetness of an adult talking to a three-year-old. "What's his name?" As if Sasuke had made him up...

"Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki." A drop in character. It was brief, only lasting for a second, but something about Sasuke's stepfather seemed to falter slightly at the mention of Uzumaki. Then he remembered hushed whispers a short time back, something about the old apartments and a man named Yondaime Uzumaki. Sasuke hadn't thought much of it, and when he had mentioned it to Naruto he couldn't even remember why the thought had crossed his mind. In fact, Naruto had mentioned earlier that a stuffed fox had belonged to his mother.

How could he have come across something from a mother he had never known, unless he had gone to his own family's last residence?

Orochimaru knew something about Naruto's family...

"Well, I'm glad you have a friend from that time," Orochimaru said, putting the act back together with a smile. "You should let me see him sometime." Not another word was exchanged-he simply walked upstairs and in to his study, meanwhile leaving his stepson to silently vow to never let Naruto near the man. Something wasn't right; something seemed dangerous, and it frightened Sasuke. Instinctively he felt that he needed to protect the unsuspecting blonde, to keep him well away from the snake that lurked in Sasuke's own home.

No, Orochimaru would not lay his eyes on Naruto, not while Sasuke was alive.

Hurriedly Sasuke packed the rest of his belongings, barely thinking about anything but keeping his hands busy. He knew his new, obsessive state of mind was a dark thing to possess, and who knew what the Uchiha would do under such circumstances. He could very well harm someone, and in the end harm Naruto. With a sigh, Sasuke decided he just needed to leave, find some place to stay until it was time to move.

He pulled out his cell and dialed a number, waiting patiently as the tone rang once, twice, three times.

"Akatsuki Clothing, how may we serve you, hmm?" chirped the cheerful Deidara.

"Hey there, Deidara," greeted the boy. "It's Sasuke."

"Hi there, hun. What's up?"

"Um, I was wondering if I could stay with you guys for the next two days?" There was a lot of chatter in the background, and Sasuke could hear Deidara listing orders to someone farther off.

He returned with, "Sure, hun, that sounds great! You're always welcome over here." A few more orders, a lot more chattering. "I'm sure Naruto will be thrilled. All he's done since you left earlier is sit in his room and stare at that silly fox. I wish I knew how to lure him out, but maybe you can do something." There was a little sigh, and Sasuke imagined a small pout on the lovely man's face. "I wish I could help him with it. I really do..." The statement didn't really seem to be for Sasuke, more of an inner longing that Deidara hadn't voiced completely.

"Help him with what?" Sasuke asked, but this seemed to bring Deidara back from his thoughts.

"Nothing, hun." No answers for Sasuke, it seemed. God, how he hated it when people kept secrets from him. "Well, see you in a bit, 'kay?" A click signaled the end of the conversation, and Sasuke went to grab some of his clothes. He had a feeling no one in that house was going to give him any information, so he was going to have to figure things out for himself. There was someone, after all, who would talk, given the right insentment...

Dinner at the shop was much the same as it was when Sasuke had first stayed over; lots of food, drinking, laughter, Naruto shaking his head when Deidara and Itachi's flirting went too far. This was what a happy family should be like, Sasuke knew. This was the life he was missing, the one he wanted to share with Naruto. Warm and loving, with kids, even, adopted from the orphanage. Sasuke wouldn't mind taking one or two or three, and he was certain Naruto would love the idea as well. The Akatsuki members could join in, with Hinata-chan and Gaara-kun, as well, and everything would be complete. The thought made Sasuke smile all night.

"You seem happy," said Naruto as they prepared for bed. It made Sasuke chuckle, and he wrapped the blonde up in his arms. It made Naruto blush.

"I've had a good day, Naru-chan," stated the Uchiha, who began kissing the boy that was making him so happy. Naruto wrapped his arms around the boy's neck, urging Sasuke on. This eventually led them to be pressed against one another on the bed, Sasuke letting his kisses travel from the boy's mouth to his cheek to the base of his neck, where he gently bit the tender piece of skin. This produced an excited gasp from the boy, causing him to arch slightly. This only encouraged the Uchiha, who decided to leave his mark right there on the Uzumaki boy. When that was said and done, Naruto eagerly sought Sasuke's mouth again, offering a deeper kiss than before, more passionate, and Sasuke's hands slipped under the blonde's shirt, feeling the lean body underneath. He stroked the boy gently, causing him to wriggle slightly before his shirt was tossed away.

Sasuke was going more off of instinct and Hinata-chan's yaoi fanfictions now, but he began to lay a trail of kisses again. He found the first nipple and bit down soft but sharp, earning a whimper in return. He did the same to the other, then led his kissing trail down, down, down, where he was already pulling off the boy's jeans. "A-are you sure about this, Sasu-chan?" gasped, Naruto, the lust in his voice mixed with anxiety and fear.

"Very," replied the Uchiha. "But if any of this is uncomfortable to you, I promise to stop. You just need to speak up."

"O-okay." Naruto blushed a little. "You...You can continue." With a grin, Sasuke fully stripped the boy before doing the same to himself, watching as the boy quivered with anticipation, curiousity, and terror.

"It'll be fine...I promise..." He began kissing Naruto's lower belly, the trail now slow and tender as he continued the path down to the hard member that drew Sasuke's full attention. He laid a kiss on the tip before taking it in to his mouth, going down, then up again with his teeth gently grinding the whole way, and the boy let out another whimper. Sasuke went down again, suckling when it was fully sheathed. Naruto continued to whimper and moan until his lover released him, grinning devilishly when he didn't finish. "This will hurt, a little," Sasuke whispered, preparing Naruto for an act that made both hearts pound.

Coating three fingers in saliva, he did what he knew would help the smaller boy enjoy the process more and alleviate some of the pain. One finger, to adjust him to the motion. Two, opening the entrance, and three, to find the sweet spot. When Naruto groaned, he knew he had found it, and placed his own hard member inside.

They both gasped, Naruto arching slightly when Sasuke was fully inside of him. The Uchiha had a hard time remembering that he needed to go slow, for this first time, so as not to hurt the boy held in his grasp. But, god, was Naruto warm and tight, his moans exciting Sasuke with each thrust. "Oh, Sa-Sasuke," groaned the blonde, taking hold of his lover and pulling them closer still. The motion picked up speed, grew harder and bringing a long, loud moan from Sasuke and Naruto both. The bed began to creak slightly from the increase, but growing louder still as they did. Faster, harder, faster, harder, both boys were practically shouting each other's names...

Then they both came together, breathing heavily as Sasuke gave three final thrusts before collapsing next to the blonde, who was shaking a little from his previous effort. Yet he seemed pleased-tired, but pleased, and that brought a victorious grin to the Uchiha's face. "Not too bad for our first time, eh?" he asked through his panting, and Naruto let out a laugh.

"You're telling me," he muttered, snuggling in to Sasuke's chest. Well, this was turning out to be a better day than he had expected...

But when Naruto was fast asleep, Sasuke rose from the bed and took hold of the stuffed fox, left on the Uzumaki's desk. He began examining it, determined to unlock the thing's secrets as he ran his hands over the fur. A tiny slit in the fabric caught his attention, and he allowed his fingers to slip inside. A tiny piece of weathered paper was his prize...

* * *

Silver: Lol. Didn't expect a lemon, did you? Well...neither did I, truthfully. Damnit, characters, stop taking control of the plotline! -grr face- Well, hope that made you all as happy as it made me! :D See you next time!


	6. The Snake

Silver: Sorry for all these delays! -writer's block SUCKS- Speaking of the genius that is my own, um…Those of you that have read the more recent manga chapters of _Naruto_ may have noticed that the name and description of Naruto's mother and the one I've written in a previous chapter….well, they don't _match_, do they? I'm so sorry, you guys! -sad face- I started writing this fan fiction before I knew anything about the mother, so I just came up with one on the spot! Forgive me!

Kisame: This woman doesn't own a single one of us, though I bet she wishes she did.

Silver: Sadly, yes. Oh! If anyone has been wondering how I basically picture Naruto and Sasuke in this fan fiction, this is the closest thing I've found! (Due to some technical difficulties, the picture is now my avatar. ^-^')

If any of you want to draw your own version of _Search for Truth_, I'd be very happy to see them! Just send them to my account here on fanfiction! My favorites will be announced and will receive an exclusive bonus chapter from this story! Fun, right? Enjoy the story!

"Sasuke, wait!" What the hell was up with him? As far as Naruto was concerned, they'd had a terrific night, so there was no reason for Sasuke to be so livid this morning. "Put those handcuffs away! Where in hell did you find those, anyway?"

"My brother keeps some interesting things around the house, it seems," Sasuke replied coldly. Okay, Naruto hadn't needed _that_ image in his mind… While this thought passed, the smaller boy hadn't noticed that Sasuke had already cuffed one of his hands to his own bed frame, and had quickly snatched up the other. Despite his protests and fighting, Naruto had been promptly trapped by his companion.

"Let me go, Sasuke!" he shouted angrily, tugging on his restraints as if that might free him. At the very least, the boy could've _dressed_ Naruto.

"Not until I get some damned answers!" Naruto froze at the intensity in Sasuke's voice, those dark eyes hot with frustration. "I knew you were keeping secrets from me, Naruto, but I had no idea it was something like this!" Sasuke threw the letter from Yondaime and a mysterious slip of paper in front of him. "You're pursuing a fucking _gang_, don't you realize that?" Now it was Naruto's turn to question, as this last snippet of information hadn't been known to him.

"A…a gang…?" he muttered, staring at the mystery note. On it's surface it read, "_The __**White Fang **__hunts the __**Snake**__, chasing it from the __**Garden**_." Sasuke sighed, shaking his head at Naruto's ignorance. This made the boy scowl, though it went unnoticed.

"The White Fang was once part of the police force headed by my family," Sasuke explained. "The snake mentioned in the riddle refers to one of the strongest gangs in the city. They used a snake for their symbol, and they've infiltrated everything from small business to politics. No one has ever been able to find their _leader_, much less put a stop to them." As Naruto absorbed this new information, Sasuke went on to ask, "Now, tell me the truth. What have you been doing all these years, Naruto?" The boy stared at his old friend, whose eyes begged for honesty and trust. It made him feel weak, dirty, to be keeping his life away from the very young man he had once hoped to have as family.

"I'm….I'm looking for my dad," Naruto confessed, body going limp as guilt washed over him. "He left those notes for me in the old apartments, where we used to live together, so I can try and find him." Sasuke nodded, and urged Naruto to continue. "When I…left five years ago, I ran in to Itachi and the others three towns over. Itachi recognized me instantly and gave me a letter from dad. It asked me to look for him, but none of us had any idea of where to start." Naruto remembered how angry he had been, holding on to those words for so long without a trace to go by. "The guys led me to all sorts of places where my parents had been known to run away to, thinking that maybe one of them would hold the secret I needed. But it wasn't until we came back here that we made any kind of progress."

It was silent for a while as Sasuke looked the boy over, expression as blank as Itachi's had been when Naruto had gone to the apartments. The two were very good at making Naruto regret his foolish actions, and he wondered why he had even hidden the truth from Sasuke in the first place. To protect him? Hell, the guy had proven time and time again throughout his life that he could handle situations far better than Naruto could. To protect _himself_? He wasn't entirely sure….

"I'm so sorry, Sasuke," Naruto whispered, looking away in shame. "I should have told you…I…I don't know what I was thinking…" He heard a deep sigh come from the Uchiha, and without warning the raven-hair was on top of the blonde, kissing him softly along the neck. "H-hey!" Memories surfaced of what had happened the night before, making Naruto turn a deep shade of red.

"Dobe," Sasuke growled in his ear, the husky sound sending a shiver through Naruto. "Why do you always cause so much for yourself, hm…?" The Uchiha tenderly nibbled at the boy's earlobe, making him squeak in surprise as his fingers began coursing over his body.

"P-p-pervert!" Naruto accused, trying to wriggle free again, this time for a completely different purpose. "Just because we did…_that_…doesn't mean you can just start in whenever you want!" Sasuke ignored him, taking hold of his mouth with his own as he rubbed the blonde's inner thigh. Naruto whimpered from both irritation and the sensation that his lover was creating, and found himself begging him to stop and continue at the same time. Why was he being caught in the middle like that? Naruto was always positive of what he wanted, no matter what the situation, but when it came to Sasuke…Damn it, he never knew what to _think_, much less what he wanted!

Thankfully, his savior came in the form of Sasori, whom had wandered in to the room without either young man noticing. He pushed Sasuke on to the floor without a word before straddling Naruto so he could remove the handcuffs imprisoning the boy. The youngest Uchiha glared up at him, a hint of competitive jealousy in his eyes that made Naruto smirk a little.

"Don't take things that don't belong to you," Sasori told Sasuke, not once batting an eye at Naruto's state, and earning a confused stare from both of the boys.

"S…Sasori, aren't those Itachi's…?" Naruto questioned, worried about his answer. Sasori's brow raised as he held up the keys that went with the cuffs.

"Itachi's…?" he inquired. "They're mine. Kimi-chan likes to role play." He walked calmly out of the room, leaving Naruto with even _more_ images that he didn't care to dwell upon. Sasuke only chuckled, saying that he hadn't expected Sasori to be the S and M type.

"Sasuke, before you came here, I was blissfully ignorant of the secret lives of this family," he growled, watching as Sasuke clutched his stomach, laughing so hard that he

couldn't breathe…

Downstairs, the entire group hovered over Yondaime's single clue, trying to decipher the last of it. "What the hell does he mean by garden?" Naruto questioned, eyebrows knitting together in frustration.

"Could be anything," Kisame muttered, yawning slightly. "Yondaime never was straightforward, you know. One word could have meant a thousand other things." Itachi nodded in reply as Deidara poured drinks for everyone.

"What about that park he and Kono went to all the time?" he suggested, and Itachi gave him a congratulatory kiss. "Yondaime and Kono used to visit that old park downtown."

"Near the apartments…?" Sasuke asked, sharing a glance with Naruto.

"The very one. I never understood what was so significant about it, personally, but it might have some kind of clue."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Naruto asked excitedly, grabbing Sasuke by the arm and already dragging him towards the door. "We need to get there as soon as-"

"Hold it." The boy froze in his place the moment Itachi's voice sounded, and he slowly turned to meet his expressionless gaze. Itachi took a long drink of his tea before saying, "Don't be reckless, alright? Now that we know what had been after Yondaime, we need to be cautious. If there's any sign of danger, I want you to get out of there, alright?" Naruto nodded solemnly, and Itachi continued on. "In the meantime, I'll do some additional research on the activities of this White Fang, here, and see what I can come up with." Sasuke eyed his brother for several moments, his thoughts difficult to read, and Naruto briefly considered asking him what was up.

Instead Sasuke muttered, "We'd better get going."

Again Naruto watched the city pass by, this time in the light of day. It looked no better than it had at night. Hell, he'd say it looked much worse. He could see trash piled in people's yards, rejected children's toys, and so many other things that he couldn't begin to name. Sasuke viewed it all with obvious disgust, but Naruto couldn't help but feel a sort of connection to the folks he saw standing on their front porches. They all watched the boys pass by, some carrying babies, others appearing forlorn. Each had their own story, their own reason for falling to this side of society, and Naruto almost stopped to learn each one. But they had important business to take care of, and Naruto was almost certain that he wouldn't be able to make Sasuke stop long enough to hear even one sad tale.

The park looked like nothing more than a forest that planned to eventually take over the city. Benches and the like were becoming coated in moss and vines, like some movie where humans were absent from the earth. It was this place that Naruto and Sasuke would search for clues, rummaging through the foliage for any hint of Yondaime's presence in years past. Mostly Naruto just thought that it was an area over run by nature.

"Well," muttered the blonde. "Might as well get started, I guess…" Nodding, Sasuke began scouring the east end, Naruto the west. He couldn't help but smile at the surrounding foliage, made up of red and blue wildflowers that sprouted out of lush, deep green grass. The trees overhead were taller than any others Naruto had seen in his life, and he wondered how long they had been around. What events had they been witness to? If only they could, what secrets could they reveal about his parents, of whom he knew so little…?

For a long time, Naruto could see nothing but nature and the occasional rundown park ornament. Nothing hinted at his father's presence, not a single hint revealed. It frustrated Naruto, though what could he honestly do? If only his father had left more of a clue to follow, rather than sending him on a wild goose chase.

_One word could have meant a thousand other things…_ Kisame's words echoed in Naruto's mind, making him scowl with anger. He didn't have _time_ to figure out a thousand other possibilities! Naruto needed to discover his father's location before someone else did, if they hadn't already.

All of a sudden Naruto came upon a scene that he hadn't quite expected. A ruined playground, rusted over from years of neglect and the apparent dumping area for various useless objects. There was an old, worn out mattress whose springs stuck out at all ends like a curled porcupine, a hand mirror stuck oddly in a tree with only a single piece of the actual mirror left, a broken dog toy leaning against the tree's trunk, and a shattered bird bath. Footsteps silent, he began exploring the ruins, a strange feeling of nostalgia washing over him. Perhaps Yondaime had taken Naruto to this place as a child, in a time he couldn't recall. No matter how hard Naruto had tried in the past, he couldn't bring up a single memory of his father. All he could do was recall a strong presence, someone important. But as he walked amongst the rusted toy structures, he felt a sense of peace and joy that had laid dormant in his heart for too long.

A hand landed on his shoulder, and when he turned he found Sasuke staring at him curiously. Without speaking, he brushed a hand across Naruto's cheek and revealed tears that he hadn't realized he had shed. But now that he saw them, he couldn't bring himself to stop. "I was here," he muttered, staring up at his lover with an aching heart. "He brought me here. I played here." Sasuke held the boy close, allowing Naruto to cry as forgotten memories stabbed at his emotions. "It hurts," he choked through sobs. "Why does it hurt, I don't even remember the bastard!"

"It doesn't matter," Sasuke whispered, running his fingers through the locks of blonde hair. "It doesn't mean anything that you can't remember _who_ you loved. The fact that it existed in the first place…" Naruto could feel the young man's arms tighten slightly. "That doesn't change."

As this was said, Naruto thought back once more to their time in the orphanage. He remembered how Sasuke couldn't remember a single thing about his older brother, the only possibility he had left of having a family. Naruto realized that the idea applied to the younger Uchiha, as well, who was always giving his brother odd glances when he thought no one saw him. Sasuke couldn't remember the person Itachi had been before leaving, but his heart still possessed that bond. This thought made Naruto smile softly, and before he knew what was happening, he was pressing his lips to Sasuke's, bringing them together in a deep kiss. Their tongues brushed against each other, exciting Naruto to the point that shivers raced up and down his spine. _But why was that…?_ a small part of him inquired. Instantly he had a response.

He was in love. Naruto was madly in love with Sasuke Uchiha, and maybe he had always been. Ever since they were children, when he tried so desperately to keep anyone from separating the pair, that love was hidden away somewhere. But now they displayed it to one another without shame, Sasuke taking his lover right there on the grass, where their hearts became joined as well as their bodies. And with the climax of their pleasure, they declared their love to the world itself.

Trembling from their efforts, Naruto snuggled in to Sasuke and asked, "If I promise not to leave again, will you promise to stay…?" He felt as though he had no right to request this, but his heart yearned to know the answer. Sasuke smiled and gave the boy a soft kiss, as if to say he was being silly.

"I've waited five years for you," he stated calmly. "Not once did I consider being with anyone else, no matter how much it hurt. Now that I finally have you, what makes you think I'd give all that up?" They spent several long moments kissing before they finally collected themselves, ready to head home for the day. But as they were leaving the park, Naruto spotted a strange black car parked just outside. Upon seeing it, Sasuke attempted to turn him away, a look of fear in his eyes, but a voice stopped them.

"Hello, Sasuke." The hissing voice sent chills through Naruto, who slowly turned to face the tall, pale man. He gazed at the pair with eyes that almost appeared yellow, examining them as if for a meal as a strange smile crossed his face. "Kabuto and I missed you, last night."

"I was staying with a friend, Orochimaru," Sasuke muttered, slipping in to a guarded stance. The man mentioned noticed this, and grinned devilishly as his gaze fell on Naruto.

"This is the young man you've been so…enamored with…?" He approached, reaching a hand out to touch the markings on the boy's face, when Sasuke stepped between them. Orochimaru only chuckled. "You know, this boy certainly resembles an old acquaintance of mine. Would you happen to know someone by the name of Yondaime…?" Naruto, shocked, almost tackled the man to find out what he knew, but Sasuke stopped him.

"Is that some flunky of yours or something?" he asked coolly, eyes daring his stepfather to go any further. Orochimaru shook his head, having had enough of this banter for the day.

"No, no," he replied. "Oh, well. I just wanted to say that I would appreciate seeing you at home again, _son._" Naruto cringed at his use of the phrase, and briefly considered what would happen if he were to try and deck the man right there. But he was already walking towards the car, driving off and disappearing from their sight.

"Sasuke, what was…" He stopped, noticing how Sasuke's hands shook, his face pale.

"He's been following us," hissed the raven-hair. "He knows where you live…He knows how to find you…" Naruto didn't know what Sasuke meant, but he could sense his fear to the point that it made _Naruto_ tremble and clutch his lover's hand.

"It'll be alright," he promised. "Nothing's going to happen." But when Sasuke rested those frightened, dark eyes on the boy, Naruto was already doubting the truth of those words. He didn't know a single thing about Sasuke's adopted father, but one thing was certain deep in his soul, where age old instincts screamed at him.

Orochimaru wanted something dangerous, and he would use Naruto and Sasuke to get it…


	7. A Brother's Secret, Sasuke's World

Silver: Uh… sorry about the hiccup in the last chapter. The picture will be on my profile page, instead, so…uh….sorry again.

Orochimaru: Silver owns none of the characters, just this story-

Silver: -spasm- OMFG THE CREEPER IS BACK! D:! -hides under rock-

Sasuke dragged Naruto back to the shop, shaking the whole way. Orochimaru was threatening everything he held dear, now. As if ruining his life with his mere presence hadn't been enough, but did Orochimaru have to tease Naruto with Yondaime's location? Nervously Sasuke glanced at his lover, who was lost in deep thought while the Uchiha continued to panic. What if the impulsive blonde decided to confront Orochimaru about it? Granted, Sasuke had never actually _seen_ the man do anything illegal, exactly, but…

When they arrived, the store was filled with bustling people, and Sasuke eagerly volunteered himself and Naruto to assist with the customers. Donning a dark blue kimono decorated with falling leaves, he busied himself with orders and fittings. He tried to think of something else, like the adoption agency. He had to go work with them the next day after school, but that left Naruto on his own. Who knew what the boy would do without someone to supervise him. This sent a panic through Sasuke, and he considered making Hinata and Gaara escort Naruto home, so he wouldn't try anything stupid.

"Hun." Sasuke jolted slightly as Deidara's hand came to rest on his shoulder. "Sasuke, you're shaking like a leaf. Something happen, hmm?" He glanced around the shop and noticed that the customers had begun leaving. Was it closing time already?

"I'll tell you after all the customers are gone," he muttered. Deidara nodded, running off to gather the rest of the Akatsuki employees while Naruto bade farewell to the last ecstatic woman. Once the door closed, Sasori, Kisame, Itachi, and Deidara had gathered in the front of the store, looking at Naruto and Sasuke with concern. The blonde in question had just come out of his daze, and realized what Sasuke was about to tell them.

"Itachi, did you find any information on the White Fang?" he asked, delaying his message.

"Yes," he answered, looking his brother up and down as if seeing him for the first time. "He died several years ago, but he has a son who lives in the area. I intend to speak with him as soon as possible." Sasuke nodded, taking in the information.

"Sasuke, hun," Deidara spoke up. "What is it you two need to tell us?" No stalling around him, it seemed.

"We ran in to Sasuke's stepfather," Naruto replied, glancing at his lover. All eyes began resting on the youngest Uchiha, and he realized that Naruto hadn't told them about Sasuke's "family." Now, with a sigh, he asked,

"Do any of you know anything about a man named Orochimaru?"

Immediately they all stiffened, giving each other wary looks at the man's mention. "O-Orochimaru…?" Deidara hissed, like he might have heard wrong. Sasuke merely nodded, and Naruto watched his family with questioning eyes. "Oh…oh God…" Deidara steadied himself against the wall, rubbing his temple while Sasori swore and Kisame angrily tossed something to the floor. Meanwhile, Itachi stood frozen, as if the world had suddenly stopped around him.

"Itachi?" Naruto called, reaching to touch the man's shoulder. Instead, he pulled away, running from the room as the others spoke amongst themselves. Sasuke didn't bother listening to them, as he chased after his brother.

"Itachi!" Sasuke called after him through the hall, but the man wasn't stopping. "Itachi! Itachi!" He chased him down, and he thought of all those times when he wished he could see his brother again. All those nights in the orphanage, snuggling close to Naruto and wondering, _Niisan will take both of us, right?_ Now he was desperate for so many answers, and his only link to family was running away…

"DAMN IT, NIISAN, TALK TO ME!" This outburst stopped Itachi right in his tracks, his brother panting behind him. Tears rolled down the younger's cheeks, and he couldn't stop himself from asking, "Why'd you leave, niisan…? Where were you when we needed you?" So many nights alone, so many days consumed by Orochimaru's dark words, and all that time Itachi could have saved him.

"I'm sorry…" Itachi turned to his brother, tears streaming from his own eyes. "I should have been there to protect you, Sasuke, I know that." An ache entered Sasuke's throat, bringing out a choked sob. "But I…Sasuke, I'm the reason our parents are dead."

"Wh…what?" Surely he'd heard wrong. If Sasuke's math was correct, Itachi had only been thirteen when their parents died. Then again, that was the same age that he'd run away…

"It's true," Itachi whispered, shaking his head. "The police force…Well, turns out it was more corrupt than anyone had thought. I overheard father talking with Orochimaru one night, discussing connections to the very gang that's chasing Naruto. They were talking about a shipment of drugs that hadn't gotten to it's destination, and…well, Orochimaru was _pissed._ He was saying that they'd need some kind of payment, one greater than ever before." Itachi trembled with rage, surprising Sasuke. "When Orochimaru left, father told mother and she was completely against it. She threatened to take us and leave, and father got angry. He…he shot our mother."

"No," Sasuke growled, protesting this as truth. "He didn't, Itachi, he couldn't have…"

"He was going to sell you to that bastard, Sasuke!" Itachi shouted, his anger rising with each word. "Orochimaru said they wanted one of us so they could train us as their damned _tools_, so father was going to give you to him! Mother wasn't going to have anymore to do with it, and father panicked, so he killed her." Sasuke was reeling on the spot, trying to recall the night his parents had died. The memory was hazy… "After I saw that, I…I blacked out, and the next thing I knew I was standing over our father's body, holding a gun. I got scared when I realized what I'd done, and I called up a family friend who was in the police force. He was able to find a way to point the evidence away from me and take me where no one would find me."

Sasuke stood, frozen in place as Itachi's words scattered themselves in his mind. Was any of this even true? How did he know he could trust this man, who claimed to be the murderer of his own father? This was all too much for him to handle, especially after he had already witnessed the threat of his own stepfather. Sasuke ran, bolting out of the store despite Naruto's protest. He just went on and on, not thinking about where he was headed or why, just running like a frightened animal.

As his legs turned to lead, Sasuke looked up to find himself at the old orphanage. Already they had begun repainting the name to say _Little Fox_ in bright orange letters. Hesitantly he walked towards it, staring like a dumbstruck deer-in-the-headlights. He became entranced for a moment, as memories of the building hit him one after another. Birthdays, holidays, he had spent so much time there that it almost scared him. If his parents hadn't died, what kind of person would Sasuke be today? Naruto's godfather was Itachi, but that didn't mean they'd fall in love like they already had. So, was he grateful for his experiences, or did he regret them?

"Hey, Sasuke," called a voice, and Sasuke looked over to see Kakashi standing in the doorway. The man watched him calmly, arms crossed over his chest. "Problems?" At first he didn't know what to say, Sasuke could only stare. Words were stuck in his throat as he considered telling his old friend all of his worries and troubles.

At last he said, "I don't know what to do anymore, Kakashi." The older man stared at Sasuke for a few moments before nodding solemnly.

"That's an unfortunate state," Kakashi answered cryptically. He left the response open, allowing Sasuke to burst with his emotions.

"How can I trust him, he wasn't even there for me!" He kicked the fence, earning a satisfying crash from the chain-linked metal. "He could have taken me away from all of this, but he was just…protecting himself!"

"So he was."

"He was building his _own _life, his _own_ future, while I've been trapped in fucking hell for the past five years!"

"He did, didn't he?"

"Then he has the gall to tell me something like _that_? MOTHER FUCKER!" Sasuke kicked the fence again and again and again until he fell to his knees, panting heavily.

Then Kakashi muttered, "Sounds like a horrible person you've got there. It's like there's no possible way that he could have done it all to help you in any way, huh?"

Sasuke sat in silence as Kakashi's words rolled around in his mind. Had Itachi done all that to protect _him_? It hadn't crossed the boy's thoughts as he raged and ranted. He hadn't waited to hear Itachi's explanation, Sasuke was too preoccupied with his pent up sorrow and pain to consider it. "How did you know he wasn't like how I described…?" Sasuke whispered, never taking his eyes off the ground, though he could hear the smile in Kakashi's voice.

"Because you said the same thing when Naruto ran away." Sasuke chuckled, shook his head, and stood up.

"Thanks, Kakashi." The man shrugged slightly, and they both glanced over as the children filed out to play. Amongst the children, he noticed that the two boys from before were missing. Noticing this, Kakashi laughed gently.

"Those two boys were adopted," he stated. "Not together, but close. One was taken in by the first set of parents, the second by their close friend. They'll be growing up right alongside each other." This made Sasuke's heart warm, the day's stress melting away. At least, amongst all of the chaos, there was some sort of happiness left in the world…

Not long after, Sasuke returned to the shop, encountering a solemn Itachi. The brothers looked at one another for what seemed like ages.

"I didn't want to leave you," Itachi muttered, glancing away.

"I know, niisan…" A silence hung between them, but it was a comfortable, warm absence. They were simply connecting in a way that only the Uchiha brothers could understand, where words meant next to nothing compared to the pure silence.

That silence was interrupted, though, when Deidara ran in and shouted, "Naruto's gone!"

"What?" the brothers chorused, eyes wide with shock.

"I can't find him anywhere, Itachi. I was just telling him what we knew about Orochimaru and his connection to the gang when he asked to be excused. Now…he's missing!"

"Damn it," Itachi snapped, quickly grabbing his coat and dashing out the door, meanwhile leaving Sasuke in a dazed stupor. Naruto had done it so quickly. Was he really so desperate to learn about his father? Was he really so _stupid_?

"We'll find him, we will," Deidara stated, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, though he barely heard nor felt anything. What would Orochimaru do to Naruto if he got his hands on the boy? Sasuke trembled at the mere thought, and ended up running from the house the same as his brother.

The entire group scattered in separate directions, calling out Naruto's name as they desperately sought him out. They called up local friends, Gaara, Hinata, and Lee included, but no one had heard or seen the boy, although they promised to keep looking. Sasuke feared the idiot had actually gone to pursue Orochimaru himself, seeking a quick means to locate his father. He'd be impulsive enough to do just that, too.

And Sasuke had led the man right to him…

"Naruto! NARUTO!" Sasuke cried out, wandering without purpose at this point. His voice was growing hoarse as he called for the boy he loved so damned much that Sasuke's heart was breaking on the spot. This was like losing Naruto all over again, without any idea if he was alright or if he'd ever see him again.

Somehow he ended up at the old park again, his legs weak from the trek. Sasuke hardly remembered how he'd managed to walk so far, and he almost turned back when he caught a glimpse of something between the trees. The blonde was smiling brightly as the sun was setting behind him, carrying a weathered box. The youngest Uchiha could only stare in shock as Naruto took notice, grinned, and ran up declaring, "I figured it out, Sasuke! I did it-"

"BAKA!" Sasuke hit Naruto-hard-across the head, sending the boy sprawling on the ground, the metal box skittering to the side. "BAKA BAKA! USURATONKACHI!" Naruto blinked several times as tears streamed down his lover's face. "Why did you go and DO THAT?"

"Sasuke…" Naruto stood, brow crinkled with worry. "Sasuke, I…I'm sorry…" But Sasuke could only shake his head, sobs threatening to choke him. What would he have done if Naruto had been hurt in any way, especially after that day's earlier scare? And it was all Sasuke's fault, all his fault for leading Orochimaru to him. His own stepfather, who was a member of the very gang that posed a threat to Naruto's life before he was even born. "Sasuke, please talk to me," whispered the smaller boy, hands trembling slightly. Those hands that, not so long before, had offered both love and innocence to Sasuke. Love, innocence, and _trust_.

Naruto, nervous, tried talking to Sasuke about the metal box. "Look, we had to wait until later in the day, Sasuke," he said, shoving the box in front of him. Sasuke could barely see it. "Dad, he… He set all the old junk up in a way so that it would point us towards the box. Isn't that crazy, Sasuke? He was really smart you know and…"

He barely heard a word of this, too transfixed by his own tormenting thoughts. _He'll kill him, he'll do it, and it's all because of me_, he thought again and again. That was why he wasn't allowed to go with Naruto when he first left, because-despite everything-Sasuke was more of an inconvenience than anything. Sasuke was intelligent, athletic, could spot a lie from a mile off, but when it came to protecting the very person he loved most of all, he was a complete idiot.

"Naruto, stop." Quickly the boy silenced himself, looking at the raven-haired youth with anticipation. Sasuke could feel his heart tearing itself out, and the tears he had yet to shed intended to break him. But what other choice was there? How else could he hope to help him…

"Sasuke…?"

"Naruto…" He looked away from those pleading blue eyes. "Naruto…goodbye…"

As Sasuke turned away, he could hear the metal box fall to the ground with a crash that mimicked the end of his own world…


End file.
